"Rhowell giving inspirational message to hundreds of students together with their parents during Balik Eskwela 2010"

“Education in the Philippines is not a right; instead, it’s a privilege… but because of KEOFI, I see it as a right…”

I remembered the times when I was in high school, in every enrollment period, I should pay my miscellaneous fees to have my confirmation slip that I’m finally enrolled in that institution. Being a Makati High School alumnus, it is true that school supplies there are free but still, there are lots of fees you need to pay such as tickets to be raffle drawn, test papers, stage plays, etc. Aside from these, you have to spend money in making your assignments and projects. Now, where is the proof of what they are saying that education is free?

It was May, 2007 when I became a part of Kaibigan Ermita Outreach Foundation, Inc (KEOFI). I was then an incoming 2nd year student. I was interviewed about family matters, financial and educational status. Few months of being a recognized member of the said NGO, I thought my duties were only to attend meetings and maintain my grades high. But as times went by, I realized that there are several obligations I need to follow like giving tutorial for low grades beneficiaries, attending major events of KEOFI, leadership trainings, workshops, career guidance and counseling and community services, as counterpart of the benefits I receive from Kaibigan.

Inspite of voluminous responsibilities, I am so thankful to Kaibigan Foundation because since high school until now that I’m in college, it has been supporting me and my family financially. Aside from financial help, it teaches me how to be committed with community services. It makes me physically fitter through sports activities of KEOFI every summer. It helps me to be mentally aware on what are the happenings in our society. It exercises my social responsibilities and emotional strengths by means of being friendly with my co-beneficiaries. It always trains me to have self-awareness and self-management. And of course, it encourages me and my companions to study harder, fly high and go for our dreams.Now that I’m in college, I knew already that I will spend more money buying my skill-books and uniforms unlike when I was in high school wherein workbooks and uniforms are all free. Our own professors are the authors of the books we need to use. Logically, it’s an additional income for them. If you have no money, no books, no assignments to be passed because it should be answered directly to the book, no grades, failed! That’s the reason why I keep on asking myself how come recession doesn’t a hindrance in pursuing your ambitions in life. As what I see nowadays, no money, no right to study. It’s not a question anymore why there are so many out-of-school youth here in the Philippines, simply because education is not a right but a privilege. Another thing, my course is Chemical Engineering so it would be so hard for me to have those engineering materials which cost so expensive, that I, myself, can’t afford. At first, I was afraid that I can’t have these things and I would be same with those who stop due to lack of financial matters. But then, I gained and still gaining hope that there is Kaibigan Foundation which is willing to help and support me all the time in finishing the last step of my education. To not waste those benefits, I will do my very best to study hard and get my diploma someday.

Because of Kaibigan, I still believe that I have a free education, that education is still a right in my part of being a proud scholar of Kaibigan Foundation.